Jung and Kabbalah: imaginal and noetic aspects.

Carl Jung incorporated kabbalistic images and motifs into his writings on alchemy, Aion, and Mysterium Coniunctionis, and recorded a dream with kabbalistic symbolism after his heart attack. This paper examines Jung's ideas in relation to Kabbalah by distinguishing his imaginal approach from the Kabbalah's own noetic intention, presenting examples of how Jung understood or misunderstood kabbalistic material, surveying the Kabbalah as an imaginal noetic system focused on inner self-work to 'sweeten the harsh judgments of existence,' and differentiating Jung's psychical living symbol from the kabbalistic mystical symbol. A Hasidic teaching on verbal contemplative prayer illustrates the difference.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Jung made use of kabbalistic images and motifs in various parts of his opus, including in his alchemical studies, in Aion, and extensively in Mysterium Coniunctionis. He also recorded an important dream after his heart attack which made use of kabbalistic symbolism in Memories, Dreams, Reflections. In this paper I explore Jung's ideas in relation to Kabbalah, first, by differentiating between Jung's imaginal approach to kabbalistic symbolism and the noetic intention of the Kabbalah itself in its use of imaginal material. Second, I present a number of typical examples of how Jung understands (and sometimes misunderstands) kabbalistic material that he cites. Third, I briefly survey the development of the Kabbalah as an imaginal noetic system, and present a core self-understanding of kabbalists--as engaged in inner 'self-work' which intends to 'sweeten the harsh judgments of existence in their very roots'. Finally, I differentiate Jung's understanding of the psychical living symbol from the kabbalistic understanding of the mystical symbol. In this fourth section of the paper, I conclude by presenting a basic Hasidic/kabbalistic teaching on the nature and function of verbal contemplative prayer--as an illustration of the difference between the two understandings of symbolism. The four sections of the paper are framed by a 'Prelude' and a 'Coda'.